What Photo Shop should I get?

[redplaid3]

I have been using a Canon lookalike version for awhile and for my birthday I want to get photo shop. I don't need the fancy, schmancey one. Are the old ones good too? What do you use? What do you like?

Thanks, Linda aka redplaid3

[Toiny]

Hi Linda,

If it's only for scrapping why not try out Photoshop Elements first? It's a lot cheaper and it can use many of the same tricks as photoshop. You can do a trail for 30? 60? days from Adobe. If it turns out to still be too limiting, then you can get an older version of PS itself.

I started out designing with PS7. Though if possible, I'd at least get CS, that is where the real powerful tools come into play.

Smooches,

Toiny

[Ambowife Designs]

I agree, the elements are a lot cheaper than full on ps
I started out with photoshop cs2, then went to cs4 and now have cs5, it was a bit cheaper cause I already had the previous version so I just upgraded.
But it's really expensive to buy pscs5 outright.
I also have pse7 and find it does most things and many designers design on ps elements too.

hope this helps you some hun

[kimberkatt]

Totally! If you're not looking to design, PSElements is perfect! I started scrapping on PSE2, then upgraded to PSE5 a few years later, Elements is a lot easier to navigate and learn. Now, I have CS4 for designing, but I find myself going back to PSE to scrap with!

I'm not sure if you can get earlier versions of PS anymore, I know you can't get them through Adobe...

BUT! There is a Free program out there that is equal to Photoshop, called GIMP. You can even find tutorials and such on savethegreen.net

[redplaid3]

Thanks ladies!

[Miranda]

I am looking on upgrading my PSE6 to a newer version of PSE, but do you girls know if there are many new things in PSE9??

[kimberkatt]

Hi Miranda!

I'm not completely sure, I haven't checked into it myself, but I did hear that most people waited to upgrade their PSE until version 9 came out - there are some neat little tools now that weren't in the earlier versions... I, myself, have PSE5 and it seems to have everything I need at the moment, but I also have PSCS4 to design with, so you may want to check into it. You can go here to compare each version

[Miranda]

Thanks Kimberly, gonna check it out!

[DigiliciousDesigns]

Yep, I reckon start with PSE if it's for scrapping! I started years ago with that, then got CS when I started designing. I now use CS3 & 5, PSP sometimes, and recently received PSE9 with a new scanner I bought, but I haven't loaded it yet

[Ambowife Designs]

rofl christine you sound like me, I have pse7 (came free with my tablet)
pse9 for quality checking
I started with pspX
Now have psp 13 for quality checking and scripts
I have ps cs2 and then upped that to cs4 and now I have
upgraded to pscs5 extended.

the only thing I now want it illustrator, but I don't have a spare $800 lying around for that!!!

hm no wonder my computer gets bogged down some days LOL

I agree, start small and if you decide to progress into design, then think about getting the big guns.
Though, that said,many designers still do everything they need in pse
the key is knowing as much as you can about your program and what it can do, which of course is a life long ongoing learning curve, but we are all sponges and love to learn new things, right? !!

[Maitri]

I started with PS7 also, and I would really recommend CS2 or higher. The warp tool makes the extra $$ worth it!